NICU Glossary

We use many medical terms in the NICU. Here are some you may come across during your stay with us; you are always welcome to ask questions about anything you hear.

Anemia - a low number of red blood cells in the blood. NICU babies are not always able to make red blood cells quickly enough to replace the ones lost when blood is taken from them for testing.

Antibiotics - a type of medication used to treat a suspected or actual bacterial infection. Until the specific bacterium is identified, babies receive combination antibiotics to treat them for the most “common” types of infections.

Apgar Score - a number given at one and five minutes of age that measures the baby’s condition based on heart rate, breathing, muscle tone, activity level and colour.

Apanea – the premature baby has an immature brain, and this means he/she may occasionally forget to breathe. Premature babies may then require stimulation (a gentle rub on the back) to remind them. This is common for premature babies and usually subsides by 34-35 weeks, as their brain matures.

Aspirate - breast milk or formula that is left in the baby’s stomach from the previous feeding. Assessing the presence and amount of aspirate helps guide the nurse when deciding whether or not the baby is ready to have his or her feeding volume increased.

Aspiration - the direct result of inhaling any foreign matter into the lungs.

Bagging - a special way to give babies oxygen and/ or extra breaths using an air filled bag.

Bilirubin - a product of the breakdown of red blood cells, filtered out of the blood by the liver. The premature baby’s liver is immature and therefore does not filter as well as it should. This causes the bilirubin to build up in the blood resulting in jaundice (a yellow/ orange hue to the skin). Blood Gas - a sample of blood that measures the level of oxygen, carbon dioxide and acid (pH) in the blood. It is used to measure how well your baby is ventilating and or breathing.

Bradycardia (BRADY) - any decrease in the baby’s heart rate below 100 beats per minute that lasts longer than 15 seconds and requires stimulation to correct. It is frequently associated with apnea (see above) and happens less often as the baby matures.

CBC (Complete Blood Count) - a blood test done for several reasons, including to determine if an infection may be present and to see whether or not the baby is anemic (see anemia, above).

Corrected Age - the age of a baby from the due date, not the birth date.

CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) – is a type of respiratory support used to deliver constant air pressure into a baby’s nose, which helps the air sacs in the lungs stay open and helps prevent apnea.

Cyanosis - dusky, bluish color of the skin, lips, and nail beds caused by having too little oxygen in the blood.

Desaturation (DESATS) - when the oxygen level in the blood falls below the set value on the saturation monitor. Acceptable levels of oxygen vary depending upon the baby’s age, and the monitor alarm limits are set accordingly.

EBM (Expressed Breastmilk) - milk that mothers express using a breast pump or hand expression. This milk can be used soon after it is pumped, or it can be frozen and saved for later use.

Fortifier - human milk fortifier is a powdered substance added to breast milk to give it extra calories and minerals such as calcium and phosphorous.

Gestational Age - the number of weeks a woman is pregnant; the age at which a baby is born.

Gluclose - a type of sugar in the blood. Different types of glucose monitoring are done but the most common is done using a glucometer at the bedside. Heart Monitor - this monitor shows the heartbeat on a special computer screen. Three gelled electrodes (leads) sit on the baby’s skin. An alarm rings if the readings are not within the normal limits. False alarms are common and usually happen when the baby wiggles or a lead falls off.

Hypoglycemia - low blood sugar.

Interstitial - refers to an IV that is no longer in the vein and must be restarted.

Incubator – a heated and humidified bed specifically for babies in the NICU. The incubator is often referred to by the manufacturer’s name - Drager®.

Intravenous (IV) - a small catheter placed a short distance into a vein to provide fluid and or medications. Babies can have IV’s in their scalp, hands, arms, legs, or feet. These sites are rotated regularly.

IUGR (Intra-Uterine Growth Restricted) - when a baby’s growth slows or ceases while it is in the uterus.

Jaundice (Hyperbilirubinemia) - the yellow color seen in the skin usually during the first 2 weeks of life, due to the buildup of broken down blood cells.

Lipids - a white, high calorie fat solution that is delivered by IV or mixed in with your infant’s milk/formula.

Low Flow - refers to one of the many ways to deliver oxygen and/or air to babies.

Lumbar Puncture - a small needle is placed in the baby’s lower back using sterile technique to get a very small amount of spinal fluid for specialized testing.

Lytes (Electrolytes) - the measurement of sodium, potassium, chloride in the baby’s blood. The results of this test help the medical staff treat the baby.

Meconium - the first, thick black stools passed by a baby. These stools can last for several days and are thick and tar-like. Murmur - a “whooshing” sound of blood going through the heart and surrounding blood vessels. It is detected by using a stethoscope and listening to the heartbeat on the chest or back. Murmurs are common in premature babies. They can be a sign of a PDA (see below) or other heart problem, or they can be benign.

Nasogastric Tube / Orogastric Tube (NGT/OGT) - this tube is placed through the nose or mouth to the stomach and is secured with tape. It is a way to feed the baby and to release built up air and gas in the stomach.

Nasal Prongs - small soft plastic prongs that are placed in the baby’s nose to deliver oxygen or air.

NEC (Necrotizing Enterocolitis) - a serious bowel condition that can arise unexpectedly in premature infants in the NICU. Babies with it can have bloating, blood in stools, and feeding intolerance; they can become very sick.

NPO - nothing by mouth (not feeding).

PDA (Patent Ductus Arteriosis) - the ductus is a blood vessel that keeps the blood away from the lungs before a baby is born because the lungs are filled with fluid. Usually the ductus closes shortly after birth. If the ductus stays open (or patent) it may interfere with normal blood flow, heart and lung function. The PDA may be treated with medication or surgery if necessary. For more information, please go to: http://www.sickkids.ca/familyinformation/documents/pda/PDAwebsite.html

Phototherapy (Bili Lights) - a special blue light used in the treatment of some types of jaundice. Eye shields are placed over the baby’s eyes to protect them from the light.

Pneumothorax - a collection of air in the space between the lung and the chest wall, but outside the lung.

Respiratory Distress Syndrome - the most common breathing problem found in premature babies. Because the baby may be too young to have developed an important substance called surfactant, the tiny air sacs in their lungs (alveoli) do not stay open easily, as they should. Without surfactant, the air sacs collapse and the baby cannot get enough air into his lungs to breathe effectively. Surfactant therapy sends surfactant down a tube into the lungs, which helps makes the lungs more flexible and eases ventilation.

Oxygen Saturation (SAT) – a term that describes the amount of oxygen in the blood.

Saturation (“SAT”) Monitor - a monitor that shows the amount of oxygen in the blood. The small monitor is placed around a baby’s foot or hand/wrist and can be easily identified by the red light. The light does not produce heat.

Sepsis - an infection that occurs in the blood. If there is any question that an infection may be developing, blood samples are drawn (culture, CBC) and antibiotics are started.

Septic Work-Up - includes blood drawn for CBC, and Blood Culture. If the baby is very ill the medical team may request that spinal fluid or urine be obtained and sent for culture.

Spell - a term that also describes a brady, apnea or a desat (see above).

Tachycardia - a heart rate that is faster than the average range. The average range for premature babies is 120-160. A full term baby’s heart rate would be slightly lower at 90-140 beats per minute.

Tachypnea - a breathing rate that is faster than the average range. Premature babies breathe at an average rate of 40-60 breaths per minute. Full term babies breathe at an average rate of 30-60 breaths per minute.

TPN (Total Parenteral Nutrition) - an IV solution (often yellow) that contains nutrients to help a baby grow. TPN is used when a baby is not able, or is just starting to feed.

UVC (Umbilical Venous Catheter) - a soft, clear catheter placed into the vein in the umbilical cord. This line is used to give fluids and medications. In very sick or premature babies this line is placed at birth using sterile technique.

Vitamin K - helps blood to clot normally; all babies receive one intramuscular injection at birth.

Weight Conversion Chart - Converting grams to pounds

lbs 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 oz Grams 0 0 454 907 1361 1814 2266 2722 3175 3629 4082 4536 1 28 482 936 1399 1843 2268 2750 3203 3657 4111 4564 2 57 510 964 1417 1871 2325 2778 3232 3695 4139 4593 3 85 539 992 1446 1899 2353 2807 3260 3714 4167 4621 4 113 567 1021 1474 1928 2381 2835 3289 3742 4196 4649 5 142 595 1049 1503 1956 2410 2863 3317 3770 4224 4678 6 170 624 1077 1531 1984 2438 2892 3345 3799 4252 4706 7 198 652 1106 1559 2013 2466 2920 3374 3827 4281 4734 8 227 680 1134 1568 2041 2495 2948 3402 3856 4309 4763 9 255 709 1162 1616 2070 2523 2977 3430 3884 4337 4791 10 283 737 1191 1644 2098 2551 3005 3459 3912 4366 4819 11 312 765 1219 1673 2126 2580 3033 3487 3941 4394 4848 12 340 794 1247 1701 2155 2608 3062 3515 3969 4423 4876 13 369 822 1276 1729 2183 2637 3090 3544 3997 4451 4904 14 397 850 1304 1758 2211 2665 3118 3572 4026 4479 4983 15 425 879 1332 1786 2240 2693 3147 3600 4054 4508 4961